Distribution and conservation of highly endangered Karst Viper (Viperaursiniimacrops) in

Bosnia and Herzegovina and establishment of long term monitoring

RSG reference:10163-1

FINAL REPORT

Project manager DušanJelić

Zagreb, 30.07.2012.

''This Project was supported by the Rufford Small Grant''

Summary

Karst Viper is endemic and highly endangered snake species that inhabits high mountain

areas in Balkans. This Viper is the smallest poisonous snake in Europe and is considered the

most threatened one due to very fragmented distribution.Teams of scientists from Serbia,

Macedonia and Croatia have been working together on Karst Viper (Vipera ursinii macrops),

for almost a whole decade but in Bosnia and Herzegovina there are no scientific research

and conservation efforts in the field. Species is not protected by law, and habitats are being

under anthropogenic pressure in enormous rate. In Bosnia and Herzegovina is 60 % of the

range of V. ursinii macropsand our recent molecular and taxonomic research (FERCHAUD ET

AL. in press) led us to amazing discovery that former V. ursinii macrops from Balkan

Peninsula is actually divided in two separate phylogenetic lineages which meet in Bosnia and

Herzegovina. With this project we wanted to precisely determine the distribution of Karst

Viper (V.ursinii macrops) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, give description of high mountain

habitats and their possible threats.Through exchange of scientists, organizing workshops,

lectures and publishing educational brochures we hoped to strengthen regional cooperation

and after this short-term project to start research and monitoring in Bosnia and

Herzegovina.

Global endangerment: EN A1c+2c

International protection: Habitats directive: Anex II and IV - proposed by Croatia to be added

as priority species, Bern convention: Appendix II, CITES: Appendix I

Project in 2011/2012

This project is being organized by Croatian Herpetological Society – Hyla in cooperation with

Department of Zoology - University of Sarajevo and Banja Luka. The goal was to precisely

determine the distribution of this species and develop an effective protection/monitoring

program. Project is being organized in cooperation with scientists from Hungary, Serbia,

Montenegro and Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia so we could make a foundation

for future regional protection of this species.

Aims of the project

I. Distribution research

1) determine the distribution of Karst Viper (Vipera ursinii macrops) in Bosnia and

Hezegovina

2) investigate and analyze 16 mountains that have favourable habitats for Karst Viper

II. Establishing monitoring of Karst Viper

1) find suitable localities to establish longterm monitoring in Bosnia and Herzegovina

III. Education and awareness

1) exchange of scientists, strengthening of regional cooperation and local education

through organization of workshops, lectures and publishing educational leaflets

Project staff

Project implementation unit:

Dušan Jelić, project menager, Herpetological department of Croatian Biological Research

Society and Croatian Herpetological Society HYLA

Ivona Burić, project assistant, Croatian Herpetological Society HYLA

Suvad Lelo, Ph.D., professor at Departement of Zoology, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and

Herzegovina

Goran Šukalo, research assistant at Faculty of Science, Departement of Zoology, University of

Banja Luka

Supervisors:

1. Milorad Mrakovčić, Ph.D., professor at Department of Zoology, University of Zagreb, Croatia

2. Ljiljana Tomović, Ph.D., assistant at Biological faculty, University of Belgrade, Serbia

3. Balint Halpern, Vipera ursinii rakosiensis LIFE+ project manager, MME BirdLife Budapest, Hungary

International cooperation:

Bogoljub Steriovski, Macedonian Ecological Society, Skopje, FYR of Macedonia: Project

leader of „OCCURRENCE, DISTRIBUTION AND THE PROTECTION OF Vipera ursinii AND Vipera

berus SYNTOPIC POPULATIONS IN FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA”

Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailović, Ph.D. – professor at Biological Faculty, University of Niš, Serbia and

Project leader of “POPULATION STRUCTURE, THREATS AND PROTECTION OF ORSINII VIPER

(Vipera ursinii macrops) ON BJELASICA MOUNTAIN (MONTENEGRO)”

Rastko Ajtić, Institute for Nature Protection of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia

RESULTS

Project participants:

Ivo Peranić, Momir Futo, Sven Kapelj, Dean Karaica, Bojan Karaica, Ana Kolarić, Jelka Škoton,

Mladen Zadravec, Sonja Đorđević (Serbia), Aleksandar Simonović (Serbia), Marc-Antoine

Marchand (France), Konrad Mebert (Switzerland), Mariann Erőss (Hungary), Balint Halpern

(Hungary), Benjamin Jusić (Bosna and Herzegovina), Slaven Filipović (Bosna and

Herzegovina), Dajana Raduković (Bosna and Herzegovina), Slađana Gvozdenović

(Montenegro)

Students:

Adnan Zimić, Aljoša Dizdarević, Ema Mehić, Igor Jurić, Jasmin Cehaja, Maja Bradarić, Boris

Stjepanović, Merdan Saudin, Dajana Radujković, Mara Djekić, Alex Bejatović, Duška Aključić,

Jasna Frisčić, Iva Miljević

I. Distribution research

During the project we tried to cover as much new localities as it was possible in order to

inspect the habitat quality and to try to confirm the existence of Vipera ursinii macrops.

During this field trips we collected data on the habitat and climatic characteristics, but also

searched for all three Viper species present in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All other species of

reptiles and amphibians were also documented.

Figure 1. Distribution of Karst Viper in Balkan Peninsula (from JELIĆ ET AL. 2009)

Mountains surveyed during 2011/2012:

Jadovnik is mountain in southwest part of the country.The highest peek is 1640 m asl.

Hrbina planina is mountain in southwest part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated between

mountains Šator and Čvrsnica.

Šatoris mountain on the west of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It divides to fields: Livanjsko i Glamočko.

The highest peek is Šator with 1875 m asl and uder it there is Šator lake.

Čvrsnica is moutain that is situated southwest of Jablanica. From another mountain Prenj is diveded

with river Neretva. The highest peek is Pločno 2228 m asl.

Bjelasica is mountain in middle part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated 25km from Sarajevo.

Highest peek is Opservatorij 2067 m asl. There is meterological station and it is highest place that is

inhabitat in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Viduša is mountain north of Trebinje with highest peek Leotar with 1200 m asl.

Ljubuša is mountain that is situated in district of city Tomislavgrad and with highest peek 1797 m asl.

Tušnica is situated in southwest part of Bosnia and Herzegovina in distric of city Livnoand

Tomislavgrad. The highest peek is Vitrenik 1697 m asl.

Baba planina is mountain that is situated betwen two fields: Gatačkog and Dabarskog . On north it

continues mountain Bjelasnica. The highest peek is Djed with 1737 m asl.

Somina is mountain on the border with Montenegro. The highest peek is Tikvina with 1601 m asl.

Lelija is mountain with highest peek Velika Lelija 2032 m asl.

Treskavica is mountain in middle part of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated south of Sarajevo.

Treskavica is highest mountain of Sarajevo with highest 2088 m asl.

Volujak is mountain near border with Montenegro. The highest peek is Velika Vlasulja 2.337 m asl. It

is near highest peek of Bosnia and Herzegovina it is separated with creek Potok.

Velež is mountain in east Herzegovina east of Mostar and river Neretva. Is long 13km and highest

peek is Botin 1969 m asl.

Cincar is mountain in southwest part of Bosnia an Herzegovina that is situated northeast from city

Livno. It is between Kupres and Glamoč field. Highest peek is Cincar with 2006 m asl.

Orijen is mountain in very close with border of Montenegro. It is situated close to the sea with

highest peek Zubački kabao 1894 mnv .

Zelengora is a mountain in the east of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the highest peak Bregoč (2014 m

asl)

Figure 2. V. ursinii distribution map that was used for the production od ecological niche

suitability model in MAXENT

Mountain CONFIRMED +/- EXPLANATION

Jadovnik - favourable habitats

Hrbina planina - but found on nearby Golija

Šator - one skin, no live animals; favourable habitats

Čvrsnica +

Bjelasica -

Viduša -

Ljubuša +

Tušnica +

Baba planina +

Somina +

Lelija -

Treskavica -

Volujak +

Velež +

Cincar + also Krug mountain was confirmed

Orijen +

Zelengora +

Figure 3. V. ursinii abundance of records for localities

Ecological niche suitability model

Species distribution modelling provides new opportunities to reduce the costs of field

research in a way of providing data on habitat suitability for the aimed taxa. Analysis of

many aspects of ecology may be helped by the use of predictive models of species

distribution (GRAHAM et al., 2004), including for instance modelling studies of invasive species

spread, impacts of climate change, and spatial patterns of species diversity. Identifying

species potential distribution is particularly advantageous / important from the perspective

of conservation and management planning of endangered and poorly known species. Among

many recently developed presence-only modelling approaches, Maxent machine learning

method (PHILLIPS et al. 2006) has become widely used in conservation studies because of its

excellent performance compared to other modelling techniques, especially when the

presence data are limited (ELITH et al. 2006; HERNANDEZ et al. 2006) which is often the case

with endangered and rare species, as well as with poorly-studied areas (Hernandez et al.,

2008). Modelling potential distribution of a given species based on presence-only data is for

example a useful tool for predicting new localities of presence for rare and threatened

species that are hardly found in the wild, or for species that are simply very elusive and

whose distribution is therefore little known.

Karst Viper is one of the least known snake species in Europe and this is the reason

we made and ecological niche model to indicate areas where Vipers could be found.

Based on these results we can see that mountains Velež, Maglić, Prenj, Ujilica, Čabulja,

Bjelašnica (near Trebinje), Sitnica, Golija and Njegoš are also all highly likely to have

populations of Karst Viper and should be further researched in 2012./2013.

Figure 4. Vipera ursinii ecological niche suitability model indicating areas with 50-90%

sutability (red), 35-50% (orange), 25-35% (yellow), 13-25% (green) and less than 13% (white).

Only areas from 35-90% (orange and red) are considered as possible habitats and should be

checked.

II. Establishing monitoring of Karst Viper

Figure 5. Location at mountain Zelengora selected for population monitoring due to the

large population of Vipers, road access and lack of mine infested areas

During the project we investigated several localities that were suggested to be selected for

long term monitoring: Velež, Korita, Cincar and Zelengora. After considering all of the

possibilities we decided to start the monitoring on mountain Zelengora (Fig. 5.) and taking

mountain Velež as possible beckup.

Monitoring will be done in two occasions (May and July) for 10 days and will serve as a

gathering place for whole regional and Bosnia and Herzegovina team.

III. Education and awareness

Through the project we planned promotional lectures at the University of Sarajevo, Banja

Luka and Mostar to get students involved and invite them to a 3 day training on Zelengora –

Prenj mountain. All three lectures were held and for all three centres we have appointed a

project focal point: Banja Luka – mr.sc. Goran Šukalo (Biology department, University od

Banja Luka); Sarajevo – prof. Dr.sc. Suvad Lelo (Departement for agriculture, University of

Sarajevo); Mostar – Benjamin Jusić (University of Mostar), who all of the interested parties

can address about the project activities and materials. Altogether around 200 students

participated on the lectures in all three cities (four Universities) and 17 students were

selected for the training in the Zelengora – Prenj mountain (list of presons, their contacts

and impressum are noted in the “Guest book.xslx”). Some of them will be doing their Br.sc

thesis through the project.

Leaflet was prepared and printed in 3000 copies. They have been distributed during the

lectures, through partner institutions (Universities) and during our field trips.

Figure 7. Produced leaflets

Figure 8. Lecture on Banja Luka University

Thank you Rufford Small Grants Foundation for the opportunity to

work on this amazing project and make small steps in long term

conservation of Karst Viper,

Yours KARST VIPER CONSERVATION TEAM